Cigarette-case.



M. L. ROBBINS.

- CIGARETTE CASE. APPLI OATIQN FILED JULYlS, 1913.

Patented M81224, 191 i ATTORNEY I Ta all 'zbhom it may concern} 7 or new roam; n, Y.-

Be it; known that I, M a. Beams, "citizen-of the United States, and a resident New York, borough of Manhattan, in the bountyof New Yorkand State of New-York,

. v'e made and invented "certain new-and useful-improvements in Cigarette-Cases, of

-'which"the'-following is a specification.

- My-r invention relates to cases for cigarettes, cigars, etc.,,of the kind designed to be I carried in the pocket, and more particularly to cases formed entirely of metal, and the object" thereof is to provide a cigar, ciga-' rette, or similar case in'which the cigarettes or cigars heldby it will, when the case is opened, be presented or held in such a way that any individual cigar or cigarette may be readily removed from the case without interfering withthe others, and without interference 'from -the others. I j

- Aiurthergobj'ect of my invention is to pro-. videi-a case; of the type above referred to which-will simple in construction, durable, easy to manufacture, and of pleasing appearance.

. 'WVi'th-th'e above and other objects of invention in view, my invention consists inthe improved cigar or cigarette case hereinafter described and claimed, and in such variations and modifications thereof as will be obvious to those skilled in the art to which my invention relates.

the drawing wherein the preferred embodiinent of my invent-i o n is illustrated, Figare 1 is a view illustrating my improved .case in perspective; Fig. 2 is a view drawn upon a considerably larger scale than Fig. 1 and showing a section upon vertical transverse planes indicated bythe line 2-2, Fig. 4; Fig. 3 is a view showing a section upon a vertical transverse plane indicated by the line 2-2, Fig. 4:, but showing the case openedand illustrating the manner in which the several rows of cigarettes are made to stand out independent of one another. Fig. 4 1s a View drawn upon the same scale as Fig. 1, one ofthe lids of the case having been remdved and the remaining lid being shown in'tgelevation. Fig 5 is 'aview showing a setion taken upon a transverse plane indicated by the line 5--5, Fig. 2, thescale of this view, however, being approximately the same as that of Figs. 1 and 4; Fig. 6 isa similar view showing a cross-section upon a plane indicated by. the hue 6-6, Fig. 2;

I v speeiflcat'lon-ot-Letter s' l'atentl Application filed July 1;, ma. Serial in. 779,746. j

Patented -Mar. 1914 construction.

Which is concaved or dished, and which lids are pivotally' connected with one another the reference character 11, .and tie mechamanner illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, as is the pocket. The hinge connect-ion 10 in- .contact with one another as shown in Fig. 3 when the case is open, to thereby limit the extent of the opening movement of the dished lids, as will be understood from Figs. 1 and 3. I

The reference numeral 13 designates 'a supthebody portion formed by the lids as above explained, as, for example, by providing the said member withears provided with openings as shown at 14, through which'the pin extends so that the member 13 is pivotally supported at the hinge connection whereby the lids themselves are connected with one another.: The supp'tirting member 13 is prowhich holes the free ends of arms 17, 18 extend, these arms being carried by andfixedly These arms are preferably provided with laterally projecting lugs 19 (at their free ends, from which it willbe understood that by means of the arms the supporting member 13 will be held approximately in a central position between the lids when the case 3, as it will be understood that if the member moves in either direction the movement presently come into contact. I

The reference numerals 20,21 designate two springs one end of each of which abuts against one ;'of the lids of the case; while the other end abut against a supporting member 13. *l hese springs preferabl surround the arms above referred to an cludes a pivot 32 and shoulders 12 whichporting member pivotally supported within vided with holes as shown at 15, 16, through is open in themanner shown in'Figs. 1 andusual in cigarette and similar-cases, and in order to provide a case which w1ll fitwell-zin 32 of the hinge-connection between the lids secured one to each of the-lids ofthe case.

will be sto ped or arrested by the projection i at the en of the armvwith which it will,

their outer ends are preferably located in sockets provided by tubes 22, 23 secured .to the inner surface (if the lids adjacent the connecting hinge. Thesesp-rings act to force the lids apart and to hold them in the open position shown in Figs. '1 and 3. They also performthe further function of holding the supporting member 13 in a central position, as it will be seen that they act in opposition upon said member. It therefore follows that ordinarily when the case is open the supporting member 13 will not contact with either of v the projections 19, but will be held in a con tral position by the, springs. The extent of opening of the case at such times is limited by the shoulders 12 at. the hinge as 'above explained. If, however, the springs are somewhat wealnor if they 'are slightly shorterthan they should be, the supporting member may then come into contact with one or another of the projections 19. These projections and the springs therefor constitute in a sense two separate devices for holding the supporting member in a central position, which devices may act independently or in conjunction with one another according to the condition of the parts.

The supporting member 13 in turn sup- 7 ports two or more members which form the the end. in view. Inthe formof my in vention shown in the drawing, however, the member 24eontacts with-the upper end of the support 13, see Fig. 3, while the member 25 is shown as provided with an arm 27 the free end of which contacts with the supporting member 13.

.- The reference numerals 28 29 designate suitable holding fingers or guards for holding the cigarettes in place w thin'the seats in the carrying members 24:, 25, which guards areshownas'provided with ears at their lower ends by means of which they are pivotally supported from the in of the hinge connection 26 above referre to.

The reference. numeral 30 designates a spring surrounding the pin of the hinge con nection 26' and the ends of. which bear against. the fingers 28, 29, from'which 1t will be seen that thespring serves not only I to keep the fingers in contact with the cigarettes'in-pthe holders but also to force the supporting-members, that is, the members 241,

25 away from one another, and cause them to assume the position shownin Figs. 1 and .position with r ference to the lids as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. At the same time the spring 30 will force the cigarette carrying members 24, 25 apart from one another, thus causing the rows of cigarettes within each holder to stand out independent of one another as illustrated in Fig. 1. It will therefore be seen that any cigarette of either row may be readily withdrawn from the holder and from. the case, and that the two rows of cigarettes do not interfere with one another and prevent any particular cigarette from being readily grasped and removed as would be the case if they werealways held close to and parallel with one another, as in such a case the fingers could not be inserted between the rows to withdraw the cigarettes.

Having thus described and explained my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. Ina cigarette case, a body portion comprising a pair of dished lids pivotally connected with one another to thereby provide a hinge connection; a supporting member located within said body portion and pivotally' supported at the hinge connection aforesaid, and which supporting member 13 provided with openings; a cigarette carrying member pivotally connected with said sup porting member; an arm secured to each of said lids and the freeends of which arms extend through the openin aforesaid in said supporting member; an a spring surrounding each of said arms and which springs tend to force said lids apart and to hold'said supporting member in a centraf position between the lids when the case is open.

2. In a cigarette case; a body portion comprising a pair of dished lids pivotally connected with one another to thereby'provide a hinge connection; a pivotally supported supporting member located within said body portion; two cigarette carrying members pivotally connected with said supporting member and adapted to overlie one another when the case is closed; a spring acting upon said carrying members and tendin to force. them apart; means for limiting tie movement of said carrying members; and means for holding said supporting member in a- 3. In a cigarette case, a body portion comprising a pair of dished lids .pivctally connected with one another to thalareby provide a hinge connection; a pivota ly supported supporting member located within said body portion; two cigarette carrying members pivotally connected with 5 id supporting member and adapted to overlie one another when the case is closed; a spring acting upon said carrying members and tending to force them apart; means for limiting the movement of said carrying members; an arm can ried by each of said lids and the free ends of which arms are adapted to engage said supporting member; and spring mechanism acting upon said lids and tending to force them apart.

' 4. In a cigarette case, a bodyportion comprising a pair of dished lids pivotally connected with one another to thereby provide a hingeconnection; a pivotally supported supporting member located within said body portion and provided with openings; two cigarette carrying members pivotally connected with said supporting member and adapted to overlie one another whenthe case is closed; a spring acting upon said carrying members and tending to force them apart; means for limiting the movement of said carrying members; an arm carried by each of said lids and the free ends of which arms extend through openings provided in said supporting member; and a spring surrounding each of said arms and which springs tend to force said lids 'apart and to hold said supporting member in a central position between the lids when the case is pe I 5. In a cigarette case, a body portion comprising a pair of dished lids pivotally connected with one another to thereby provide a hinge connection; a supporting member located within said body portion and pivot- 4 ally supported at the hinge connection aforesaid; two cigarette carrying members pivotally connected with said supporting member and adapted to overlie one another when the case is closed; a spring acting upon said carrying members and tending to force them apart; means for limitingthe movement of said carrying members; .an arm ca ried' by each of said lids and the free ends 0 which arms are adapted to engage said supporting member; and springmechanism acting upon said lids and tending to force'them apart. 7

6. In a cigarette case, a body portion comprising a pair of dished lids pivotally connected with one another to thereby provide a hinge connection; a supporting member located within said body portion and pivotally supported at the hinge connection aforesaid, and which supporting member is provided with openings; two cigarette carrying members pivotally connected with said supporting member and adapted to overlie one another when the case is closed; a spring acting upon said carrying members and tending to force them apart; means for limiting the movement of saidcarrying' members; an arm carried by each of said lids and the free ends of which arms extend through the opening aforesaid in said sup- I porting member; and a spring surrounding each of said arms and which springs tend to force said lids apart and to hold said supporting member in a central position between the lids when the case is open.

Signed at New York, borough of Manhattan, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 16th day of July,-

A. D. 1913. v p I MEYER L. ROBBINS.

Witnesses:

ANNA V. WALSH, B. N. FLINT. 

